PAINESVILLE, Ohio — The Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, in conjunction with the Wickliffe Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, recently made six arrests for solicitation of prostitution, including the president of the Eastlake City Council, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Lake County Sheriff Frank Leonbruno.
Eastlake City Council President John Meyers, 47, was among the six men charged with solicitation. The other five men arrested were Ronald Bevier, 30, of Columbia Station; Alvin Bridges, 47, of Euclid; Andrew Champa, 40, of Wickliffe; Garrett Kellogg, 20, of Strongsville; and Salvatore Longo, 44, of Beachwood. Bridges also face a felony charge of drug possession. Each of the men received a summons through Willoughby Municipal Court.
“The point of our task forces is to send a message to those who buy and sell human beings: We’re coming for you, we’re going to bust you and make sure everybody knows what you did. Don’t buy sex in Ohio!” Yost said. “Special thanks to Sheriff Leonbruno, whose office recently joined this task force and has hit the ground running.”
The task force identified four potential victims of human trafficking who were offered social services. “The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is proud to be part of the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and proud of the collaborative effort of all the involved agencies,” said Chief Deputy Robert Izzo of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. “If even one victim of human trafficking can be identified and helped, then the operation is a success and worth the effort. We will continue to work to help identify those who are taking advantage of these victims and bring them to justice.”
The Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force is one of six law enforcement collaboratives formed under AG Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission directed at combating human trafficking.
